- A number of seminal events have occurred in the US since its conception — some great, some terrible.
- The historic launch of Apollo 11 out of Florida put two men on the moon.
- Criminal suspects earned the right to remain silent after the Miranda warning was established in Arizona.
This July 4th marks America's 242nd birthday, which, realistically, makes her a pretty young country. But when it comes to the US, age ain't nothing but a number.
From Colorado's legalization of marijuana to the birth of the Prohibition in Maine, each of the 50 states in the US has borne witness to an untold number of landmark events since America's conception.
Keep reading to discover some of the most impactful ones that shaped the US as we know it today.
ALABAMA: Martin Luther King Jr. led the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, leading to the Voting Rights Act.
The Selma to Montgomery march was a political march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, the state's capital, between March 21 and 25 in 1965. Led by Martin Luther King Jr., the 54-mile march was made in an effort to register black voters in Alabama.
Demonstrators and participants were viciously attacked by local police and white protesters during the trek, and the violence was broadcast on television. As a consequence, the National Guard eventually offered its protection.
Later that August Congress passed the Voting Rights Act. According to History.com, "The Voting Rights Act is considered one of the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in US history."
ALASKA: The first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race took place in 1973.
Often called "The Last Great Race on Earth," the Iditarod is a uniquely Alaskan event: Every March, mushers come from all over the world to compete in the historic race, traversing 1,000 miles of Alaskan wilderness and braving sub-zero temperatures with their devoted teams of dogs.
Original settlers in Alaska traveled via boat or foot on what is today known as the Iditarod Trail. Recognized as one of the National Historic Trails by the US Congress, the trail was once considered the "thoroughfare" through Alaska, as priests, ministers, and judges traveled between villages via dog sleds. At the time, these kinds of innovations were points of American pride.
The first Iditarod was run in 1973, and despite how controversial the Iditarod has become due to animal rights protesters, the race persists.
ARIZONA: The Miranda Rights were established in 1966, granting criminal suspects the right to remain silent.
After Ernesto Miranda was arrested and convicted in Phoenix after supposedly confessing to kidnapping and raping a woman — a confession that he later recanted, claiming that he was unaware that he didn't have to say anything at all — the Supreme Court established that all criminal suspects must be advised of their rights before interrogation.
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